Scratch-die and roller for brick-machines.



R. A. FONTAINE, SCRATCH DIE AND RO LLEB FOR BRICK MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 10. I916.

Patented Nov. 13, 1917.

. 2 suns-sugar I.

Inventor In In vI I 4 Attorneys Witnesses R. A. FONTAINE.

SCRATCH DIE AND ROLLER FOR BRICK MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 1 0. HHS. 1,246,41 1. Patent-ed Nov. 13, 191?,

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Witnesses Q Attorneys ROBERT A.- FONTAINE, 0F ROA N OK E, VIRGTNIA.

SCRATCH-DIE AND ROLLER F QR iBRICK-MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 13, 1917.

, Application filed Apri110,1916. Seria1No.90,196.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT A. FONTAINE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Roanoke, in the county of Roanoke and State of Virginia, have invented a new and useful Scratch-Die and Roller for Brick- Machines, of which the following is a speciiication.

The present invention is an attachment for brick machines, and aims to provide novel and improved means for acting upon a column of clay delivered by a brick machine, to produce ornamental designs upon the column of clay which is subsequently out up to form bricks.

It is the object of the invention to provide a novel attachment for brick machines for producing what is known in the art as texture bricks, the attachment embodying ascratch die having points for plowing furrows in the column of clay, I whereby the clay has a tendency to roll and buckle, thereby producing odd. figures for purpose of ornamentation, the device" also including means for rolling the clay after it passes the die whereby the figures are flattened out and packed to render the same permanent.

The invention is also operable to produce what is known as Finterwoven texture brick, wherein the longitudinal furrowed portions are worked transversely into an interwoven arrangement, thus producing novel effects.

It is also within the scope of the invention to provide a device of the nature indicated which is comparatively simple and inexpensive in construction, which can be readily installed upon various brick making machines or plants, and which will serve its ofiice in a thoroughly practical, convenient and efficient manner.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts andin the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed can be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a plan View of the device.

Fig. 2 is an end view thereof.

Fig. 3 is an elevation of the scratch die.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the device.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged end view of one of the rollers showing the same provided with teeth or spurs upon its periphery.

In the drawings, the numeral 1 designates the slicker head forming the outlet of the brick machine or plant 2, the head 1 being of rectangular cross section. The attachment is applied to the slicker head 1 and embodies a scratch die and means for rolling or packing the superficial portion of the cla delivered from the slicker head.

The scratch die embodies a rectangular frame 3 disposed adjacent the mouth of the slicker head or die 1 so that the column of clay delivered from the slickerhead passes through the frame 3. This frame 3 is attachedto the slicker head l by means of four angle iron'attaching members 4 which are secured upon the corners of the frame 3 in any suitable manner, and which project rearwvarclly so as to overlap the corners of the slicker head 1. Set screws 5,are carried by the members 4 and bear against the slicker head l'for rigidly holding the frame of the scratch die in place,'although other suitable means can be used for this purpose. Slid- 'able throughthe ends or side of the frame 3 are vertical series of pins 6, each set or series being attached to a vertical bar or head 7 which is mounted slidably upon a pair of stud bolts or stems 8 attached to and outstanding from the respective side or end of the frame The"bars 7 carry set screws 9 wh ch are adapted to bear against the bolts or stems 8 for holding the bars at various adjustments. A. series'or set of pins 10 are also slidable through the upper portion of the frame 3 and are attached to a transverse horizontal bar or head 11 slidable upon a pair of upstanding stud bolts or stems 12 carried by the upper portion or top of the frame, set screws 13 being carried by the b'ar'll to bear against the stems 12 for holding the bar'll in various adjusted positions. By loosening the set screws 9 and 13, the

pins'6 and lOmay be adjusted to the positions desired, whereby the pointed ends of the pins which project intothe frame 3 will properly encounter the clay passing through the frame. The bars 7 and 11 are adjustable toward and away from'the center of the f frame in the plane of said frame, whereby to adjust the respective sets of pins 6 and 10 likewise without the necessity of individually adjusting said pins.

The depending or vertical flanges of the upper angle iron members 4 are provided at their forward ends with upturned tongues 14, and a U-shaped member 15, preferably bent from a bar, has its terminals pivoted to the tongues 14 so as to swing upwardly and downwardly about a transverse horizontal axis above the column of clay. A roller 16 is carried by the free portion of the'member 15, and is arranged obliquely, as seen in Fig. 1, for the purpose hereinafter set forth. The roller 16 has bosses 17 at its ends provided with outstanding trunnions 18 which are journalod for rotation in wedge-shaped bearing blocks 19 secured by means of bolts 20 or otherwise to the inner sides of the arms of the member 15 at the proper points thereof. It is preferable to provide antifrictional balls 21 between the blocks 19 and bosses 17, whereby the roller 16 will rotate freely with little friction.

I The horizontal flanges of the angle iron members 4 are provided at their rear ends with outturned tongues 22, and a pair of U shaped members 23, preferably bent from bars, have their terminals pivoted to the tongues 22 at the opposite sides, whereby the members 23 swing horizontally about vertical axes. The members 23, the same as the member 15, project forwardly beyond the scratch die, and rollers 24 are carried by the free portions of the members 23, said rollers 24 beingdisposed obliquely and having inclined axes. The rollers 24 are arranged adjacent the scratch die, whereas the roller 16 :is disposed at a suitable distance from the scratchdie. Each roller 24 has bosses 25 at its ends provided with outstanding trunnions 26 journaled for rotation in wedge-shaped bearing blocks 27 secured by bolts 28 or otherwise to the adjacent sides of the limbs of the respective member 23, and it is preferable to provide anti-friction balls 29 betweenthe bosses 25 and blocks 27 to reduce friction to a minimum.

The yoke portions of the members 23 are provided with outstanding fingers or portions 30 adjacent the upper and lower limbs of said members, and the fingers 30 of the two members 23 are connected by transverse coiled rectractile springs 31, to swing the members 23 toward one another. The member 15 and its roller 16 swing downwardly by gravity, so that spring means is unnecessary to accomplish this result.

' The pins 6 and 10 are preferably in stag- V gered relation, and each set can be ad usted as a unit by adjusting its bar or head.

In operation, the column of clay 32 which is delivered from the slicker head 1 passes through the scratch die onto the cutting .Jtable upon which the column of clay is cut up to provide the bricks as usual. When the clay is passed through the scratch die, the

sides and upper surface of the horizontal column of clay are plowed upon numerous longitudinal lines by the points of the pins 6 and 10, thus producing parallel longitudinal furrows in the clay. The clay in being plowed upwill be ruffed, so that the clay rolls and buckles, thereby producing odd looking figures for ornamental purposes. The ornamentation of the clay may be varied by adjusting the pins 6 and 10, so that various degrees or sizes of furrows and accompanying figures are produced. It is evident that when the pins furrow deep into the clay, the clay will be ruffed considerably, whereas if the pins are retracted so as to only lightly engage the clay, the working of the clay will not be so great, and the figures will therefore be lighter and smaller. The

clay in being plowed will also be given a rolling action by rubbing against the sides of the pins and frame 3.

The rollers 24 press against the sides of the column of clay directly adjacent the scratch die, whereby the figures upon the sides of the column are flattened out and pressed into the column, to render said figures permanent and to prevent them'falling off. .The figures upon the upper surface of the column are not liable to fall off and'remain in position until'they are flattened down when passing under the roller 16. Due to the oblique positions of the rollers. these rollers produce a skidding and grinding actiomthereby deflecting the figures or furrowed portions of the clay transversely,

to produce the desired interwoven texture, thereby eliminating, more or less, the long1- tudinal streaks, and giving a much different effect. In some cases, however, the rollers can be disposed transversely of the surfaces 'of the column of clay, when the interwov n texture is not wanted.

1 Sinccfall' clays and shalesdo not work alike and different textures are desired, regulations can be made by raising or lowering the pins or nails 6and 10, and by changing the proportionsof the mixture machine delivered to the brick machine die or slicker head or by changing the angles of the rollers to the clay column.

Therollers 16 and 24 can each be pro- ;vided upon its surface with outstanding teeth or spurs 33, as illustrated in Fig. '5, whereby to produce diagonal scratches or marks upon the respective surfaces of the column of clay, thereby producing modified effects, although smooth rollers can be used. When toothed rollers are employed, the teeth thereof cut short oblique or transverse furrows in the clay, and the clay is packed meant means for rolling and packing the fur-rowed portion of a column of clay and arranged to shift the furrowed portion sidewise during the rolling thereof.

In a device of the character described, means for furrowing a column of clay, and means arranged obliquely of said column and engageable with the furrowed portion of the clay to shift said portion sidewise to produce an interwoven texture.

3. In a device of the character described, means for furrowing a column of clay longitudinally, and means for simultaneously and with one operation shifting the furrowed portion of the clay sidewise to produce an interwoven texture and rolling said fur-rowed portion of the clay.

4. In a device of the character described, a scratch die for furrowing a column of clay, and an oblique roller for packing the fur-rowed portion of the clay.

5. In a device of the character described, a scratch die through which a column of clay is adapted to pass and having in- \vardly projecting pins for furrowing the sides and top of said column, a swinging member movable upwardly and downwardly above the column, a pair of swinging members at the sides of the column movable toward and away from it, and an oblique roller carried by each of said members to bear against the column.

6. In a device of the character described,

a scratch die having pins for furrowing a column of clay, a swinging member movable toward and away from said column, and an oblique roller carried by said member to bear against the furrowed portion of the clay.

7. In a device of the character described, an oblique roller adapted to bear against a furrowed surface of amoving column of clay, and means for mounting said roller for rotation adjacent the column.

8. In a device of the character described, a scratch die embodying a frame through which a column of clay is adapted to pass and having inwardly projecting pins for fur-rowing the clay, angle members secured to the corners of said frame and adapted to fit the corners of a slicker head of a brick machine, a swinging member pivoted to the upper angle members to swing upwardly and downwardly above said column, swinging members pivoted to the angle members at the opposite sides, the swinging members projecting forwardly, and a roller carried by each swinging member to bear against the column of clay.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT A. FONTAINE.

Witnesses A. C. Horwoon, ANITA BELL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

